Another Princess
by LaurieDoogs
Summary: Snow White and Prince Charming have had their second child, a little girl named Lily. It is now almost twelve years later, and Lily is growing into her personality and her role as the daughter of royalty. The story contains Lily and her family's adventures in Storybrooke and flashbacks from when Lily was a little girl. This story is not based on fact and I own nothing. Enjoy!
1. Dinnertime

Eleven year old Lily Nolan-Blanchard raced through the streets of her hometown, Storybrooke, Maine, towards her family's apartment. She had been studying in Belle's library and was running late for dinner. Again. She entered her building and scrambled up the stairs, bursting through the worn wood door of her home.

Lily was breathing hard as she almost collapsed onto the faded wood floor of her living room.

"Lily?" she heard her mother, Mary Margaret, say from the kitchen, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Lily stood up straight, "Why?"

"You look a little…disheveled," Lily's father, David, came over and readjusted the backpack strap that had fallen off of his daughter's shoulder, "Not that that's anything new."

"Aren't you funny?" Lily rolled her eyes.

"I'm just teasing," David smiled as he pulled Lily into him and kissed the top of her head.

"Yeah, yeah," Lily kicked off her shoes.

"Oh no, young lady. Take those upstairs to your room. I just picked up in here," Mary Margaret instructed.

"Yes, mom," Lily sighed as she scooped up her shoes and shuffled towards the stairs.

"You might want to hurry up, Lil," Mary Margaret smirked, "You want to be washed up and back down here by the time Emma and Henry get here, don't you?"

"Emma and Henry are coming to dinner?" Lily's eyes widened.

"Would I lie?" Mary Margaret chuckled, "David, come help me set the table please?"

"Of course, dear," David leaned down and kissed his wife.

"Hey! Your kid's still in the room you know. Yuck!" Lily teased before she ran up the stairs.

It was still another ten minutes before Emma and Henry arrived, but when they did, Lily was ready for them.

"Henry!" she said happily as she answered the door.

"Hey there, _Auntie _Lily," he chuckled. Henry was about thirteen years older than Lily, but she was still technically his aunt. He often called her that, too, only to tease her. Henry moved past Lily to hug his grandparents and Lily turned to Emma.

"Hiya, Em," Lily wrapped her arms around her sister, instantly comforted by the familiar feel of Emma's old red leather jacket that she's had for ages.

"Hiya, little sis," Emma smiled at her, "You giving mom and dad any trouble?"

"Only every day of our lives," David teased as he went to hug his eldest daughter.

"I'm not that bad, am I?" Lily raised an eyebrow at her father.

"Well, maybe not _that _bad. But still bad," Mary Margaret kissed Lily's temple and smiled at her before moving to hug Emma.

"It's okay, sis," Emma smiled at her, "I was trouble when I was your age, too."

"Yeah, yeah," Lily rolled her eyes once more, "Why are you guys being so mean to me?"

"Because it's fun to watch you get mad about it," Henry came up behind Lily and jabbed her in the back of her ribs, causing her to yelp and swing her arms back at him on instinct. Henry caught them easily.

"I'm impressed. Your reflexes are improving," Henry smirked at Lily.

"Takes after her old man," David said proudly.

"I don't know about that," Mary Margaret smirked at her husband, "After all, who was it who smashed your chin with a rock?"

"That doesn't count! You stole from me and I was caught off guard!" Lily watched her parents argue and smiled at the familiar story. It was one of her favorites, and her parents still always told her about how they met and all of their adventures back in the Enchanted Forest, Neverland, and in Storybrooke.

"With reflexes like those, you'll be able to handle a sword in no time," Henry winked at Lily, whose eyes lit up.

"Do you really think so?" Lily was ecstatic.

"Of course, _princess_," Henry teased, "You'll have to learn some day, right Gramps?"

"Only when she starts dating boys," David informed Henry, "Which won't be until she's thirty or so."

"Thirty? No way! I can't wait that long!" Lily whined.

"He's just teasing you, Lil," Mary Margaret laughed as she crossed the room and pulled her pouting daughter into her arms, "You hungry?"

"Yes," Lily immediately forgot about the sword and focused on her empty stomach.

"You're always hungry," David ruffled Lily's hair as he passed her on the way to the kitchen.

"Except when I'm asleep," Lily smiled at him.

The family enjoyed their dinner, chattering endlessly about current events in Storybrooke. Were any of Storybrooke's inhabitants giving Emma any trouble as sheriff? How was Lily doing in school? Did they think the weather was going to ever get warmer?

"So, Lily," Henry said as Mary Margaret and David cleared dishes of off the table, "Your birthday is in a couple of weeks, huh? The big One-Two?"

"Yeah," Lily looked down at her water glass. Her birthday. How could she forget? Normally she was excited, but this year she realized she didn't think of it as anything special, and she didn't really know why.

"Have you thought of any gift ideas yet?" Emma asked.

"Not really," Lily shrugged as she muttered into the table, "I guess I don't really want anything this year." It was strange for Lily to admit, but it was true. She would feel completely content with just a birthday card and a couple of dollars she could put in the piggy bank her parents kept for her on the top shelf of their closet.

"Well, keep thinking about it, promise?" Emma thought nothing of Lily's response, which she was grateful for.

"I promise," Lily smiled at her shyly. Emma smiled back and held out her little finger, which Lily latched onto with her own finger. It was something the girls had been doing practically since Lily learned how to say the word promise. Lily and Emma knew that they would never think to break promises to each other, but their ritual was and always would be important to them.

"Well, Henry and I should probably head out. It's getting late," Emma stood up and pulled on her jacket, "Thanks for dinner, guys." Henry stood and followed his mother's actions.

"Goodbye, you two. Thanks for coming over," Mary Margaret came out of the kitchen to hug Emma and Henry and walk them to the door. David followed her, but Lily settled for waving sheepishly from her place at the kitchen table.

When the front door clicked shut, David immediately yawned.

"It is getting late," David observed, "It guess it's probably time for all of us to hit the hay." David snuck up behind Lily, scooped her out of her chair, and threw her over his shoulder.

"Dad!" Lily said through a fit of giggles.

"Man, you're getting big!" David exclaimed as he headed towards the stairs.

"Wait!" Mary Margaret's voice got David's attention and he carried Lily back to where she was standing and leaned down so Mary Margaret could kiss Lily's cheek.

"Goodnight, baby," Mary Margaret rubbed her daughter's cheek with her thumb, "I love you."

"I love you, too, Mom," Lily smiled at her. Mary Margaret smiled back and ruffled Lily's hair before David continued towards the stairs.

"Permission to land," David said as he threw Lily down on her bed. Lily's room was special to her. Besides the fact that it was the only room that she had ever known, Lily's room had also once belonged to Emma, back when she had been living with her parents after the curse had first been broken. To Lily, this served as a connection between her and her older sister.

"Dad," she giggled some more, "I'm getting too old to be carried like that."

"Well, no matter how old you are, you're still going to be my little girl," David leaned over and kissed Lily's forehead. He started to head for Lily's bedroom door.

"Sweet dreams, Lil," he said, "Make sure you remember to brush your teeth."

"I know, I know. I'll remember," Lily smiled at her father.

David smiled back, "I love you, Lily."

"I love you, too, Dad."


	2. The Park

"_Oh, Lily," Emma called gently. She scanned the seemingly empty playground and tried to follow the sound of the young girl's giggles. Emma crept toward the area under the slide and the giggles increased._

"_Boo!" Emma surprised Lily, who squealed and ran away from Emma. Her dark, wavy hair blew behind her as she ran as fast as her three year old legs could take her. _

"_Gotcha!" Emma scooped up the girl, who was still laughing._

"_How'd you find me?" Lily caught her breath._

"_Remember how I told you how I can tell if someone is lying?" Emma watched Lily's waves bounce as she nodded, "Well, I'm also very good at finding people. It's like a superpower that I have." Emma saw Lily's eyes, which were just as blue as their father's, twinkle with excitement._

_Mary Margaret appeared in the park and called to her daughters. _

"_Come on, kiddo. Mom's here," Emma said as she carried Lily back towards the petite, dark haired woman._

"_Mommy!" Lily called to her as they got closer._

"_Hi, baby," Mary Margaret smiled at her._

"_Look, mommy," Lily held out her hand a presented a small white flower, "For you!"_

"_Thank you, Lily. It's beautiful," Mary Margaret took the flower from Lily's tiny fist before she turned to Emma, "I take it you two had fun?"_

"_Yeah. She wears you out though," Emma laughed._

"_We pwayed tag, and hide and seek, and we went on the swings and the swide," Lily said excitedly. Mary Margaret smiled at her daughter's inability to say the "l" sound._

"_That sounds very fun," Mary Margaret took Lily from Emma and kissed her on the cheek. She turned her attention to Emma, "When are you leaving?"_

"_Tomorrow afternoon, hopefully," Emma answered._

"_Where are you going?" Lily stopped smiling as her expression changed from happiness to worry._

"_I have to go to New York City for a few days to see if my old apartment will sell. I'll be home soon," Emma explained. _

"_No! I don't want you to leave!" tears started flooding into Lily's eyes as she started kicking her legs like she did when she was upset or wanted to be let down._

"_Lily, stop that," Mary Margaret held her daughter at arm's length to avoid being kicked. _

"_No! Mommy, make sissy stay here!" Lily cried._

"_It's only for three days, Lil," Emma took her little sister back from her mother, "We'll play again as soon as I get home."_

"_Pwomise?" Lily sniffed and looked up at her sister._

"_I promise," Emma chuckled and held out her pinkie finger. Lily smiled and latched onto it happily, content that she would see Emma again soon._


	3. Nothing At All

_Thanks to everyone who is following the story and adding it to their favorites! And thanks for the feedback. I really appreciate it!_

_Just a quick note: I'm going to try to update as often as I can. I tend to get pretty busy with life outside of my imagination…But for now, enjoy the next installment of Lily's life in Storybrooke!_

* * *

"So, did you keep your promise?" Emma and Lily were walking towards the school to visit Mary Margaret, who was working late that day grading projects. The sisters had been silent before Emma spoke.

"What promise?" Lily's eyes went wide as she almost dropped the bag of muffins that she was carrying from Granny's. Lily never forgot her promises, especially ones she kept to Emma.

"Your birthday present, silly," Emma laughed at the girl's shock.

"Oh," Lily sighed in relief, "That promise."

"Yeah, that promise. Your birthday's in a week, you know. Have you thought of anything yet?" Emma watched as Lily looked down at her toes and shook her head.

"Have Mom and Dad talked about what your plans are going to be that day?"

"No," Lily answered simply. Emma raised an eyebrow. Something wasn't right.

"Okay, wait," Emma put a hand on Lily's shoulder and the two stopped walking.

"Emma, Mom's waiting," Lily whined. They were already in front of the school building and the last thing Lily wanted to do that moment was argue about her birthday with her sister.

"She can wait a little longer," Emma crossed her arms, "Alright, talk."

"About?"

"Lily, you know what about," Emma tried to keep her frustration under control, "Every time someone brings up your birthday, you immediately shut them out. What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Lily avoided Emma's eyes.

"Lily, did you forget about my superpower?"

"No, I remember," Lily sighed. Emma knew she was lying.

"So, what's up?" Emma asked again. Lily was quiet for a few moments before she took a deep breath.

"I just don't want to make a big deal out of my birthday this year," Lily began, "All I want is a quiet day with our family, just like any other day. Maybe we'll even have cake. Nothing major."

"How come?" Emma studied her sister's face.

"I guess it's just me getting older," Lily shrugged.

"Uh huh," Emma was still skeptical, "So, you don't want anything this year? Nothing at all?"  
"I want you to be there. Henry, too. And we can all just spend time together," Lily smiled, eager to end the conversation, "Now, come on. Mom's probably wondering where we are." Emma watched as Lily hurried away towards the door of the building. She still wasn't completely convinced, but she decided to leave the matter for now and she followed Lily into the school.


	4. Guilt

_Warning: If you don't like sappy moments, this chapter is not for you. This chapter is less about Lily and more about Emma and Mary Margaret's relationship._

_I'm not sure when I'm going to be able to update next, but it will hopefully be sometime soon. Please be patient. Thanks!_

* * *

_Emma hurried up the stairs that led to her parent's apartment. It had been a full three days since she had last seen her little sister and she was intent on keeping the promise that she had left her with. Also, after devoting her entire trip to only crappy real estate agents, Emma was looking forward to spending some time with Lily and her parents._

_ Emma knocked on the apartment door, which was almost immediately answered by Mary Margaret, who had her index finger held to her lips._

"_Lily's taking her nap," she explained, "She should be awake soon, but you know how she gets when you wake her up early." Emma only smiled and nodded as she tip toed into the apartment, avoiding the floorboards that she knew would make noise._

_Mary Margaret and Emma went and stood on opposite sides of the kitchen island. Mary Margaret watched as Emma let out a long sigh and leaned forward on the counter._

"_Long trip, huh?" Mary Margaret said quietly as she smiled at her daughter._

"_You have no idea," Emma chuckled, "I'm just thankful that it's over now."_

"_Did the apartment sell?"_

"_They have potential buyers. I decided to let the real estate agents handle it," Emma shrugged, "But I got the rest of all of my old stuff out of there. Mostly some of Henry's clothes and a few other small things."_

"_I'm glad that it's working out, though," Mary Margaret smiled again, "It looks like we're all going to be together for a long time."  
"It looks like it," Emma smiled back, "So, how's the little goofball?" _

"_She's fine," Mary Margaret laughed, "I'm really glad you two are going to see each other today."_

"_She missed me that much, huh?"_

"_Well, yes. She never stopped talking about you," Mary Margaret said, "But I'm also really happy about how well the two of you get along. It's a beautiful thing to see." Mary Margaret looked down and played with the ring on her finger anxiously. _

"_Is everything okay?" Emma noticed._

"_Yes, of course. Everything's fine," Mary Margaret looked up in time to see Emma raise an eyebrow at her. Mary Margaret sighed._

"_It's just that I feel a lot of guilt sometimes," Mary Margaret's voice was barely audible._

"_About what?" Emma leaned forward a little more._

"_You," Mary Margaret looked up at her daughter, "I'm so glad that I'm able to watch Lily grow up, but I also wish that I had the same memories with you." Mary Margaret looked down again and fought back the tears that were threatening to make an appearance. Emma took a deep breath before she walked over to the other side of the island._

"_I forgive you," Emma said simply._

"_I know you do," Mary Margaret avoided looking Emma in the eyes, "but-"_

"_No," Emma interrupted, "I understand why you sent me here. It's the same reason I…Henry." Emma let her words trail off with her thoughts as Mary Margaret finally looked up at her._

"_I didn't understand back then, but I do now. And I couldn't have asked for a better mom," Emma smiled at Mary Margaret, who immediately wrapped her arms around her older daughter. They stayed that way for a few moments, until-_

"_Emma!" Lily yelled as she came running down the stairs. Emma and Mary Margaret broke apart from their hug and Mary Margaret wiped her eyes._

"_Hiya, Lil," Emma smiled and held out her arms as Lily jumped into them._

"_I woke up and I heard you talking," Lily said proudly, "I missed you. Can we go to the park again?" Emma turned her head towards Mary Margaret._

"_As long as you're home in time for dinner," Mary Margaret laughed._

"_Yay!" Lily squealed excitedly, "Let's go, Emma!" _

"_Okay, okay," Emma laughed as she headed towards the door. Emma looked back over her shoulder and called out to Mary Margaret, "See you in a bit!"_

"_Bye, Mommy!" Lily waved._

"_Have fun, you two," Mary Margaret smiled as she watched the door close behind her daughters._

"_I love you."_


	5. Birthdays

Lily opened one eye, and then the other. Sunlight was already pouring through her blinds and a glance at the clock on her nightstand confirmed that she had slept in later than her parents had ever let her before. Normally she would jump out of bed and start her day immediately, but today Lily was perfectly content with lying in bed for a little while longer and studying the ceiling. She felt like she had absolutely no energy and no desire get up. She wondered if this was what growing up felt like.

After a few more minutes of nothingness, Lily sighed and sat up. She dragged her feet as she made her way out of her bedroom door and shuffled down the stairs.

"There she is," Lily's mother made her way out of the kitchen and moved to hug her, "Happy birthday, Lil!"

"Thanks, mom," Lily said quietly before she moved to the kitchen and took the plate her father offered her, "When are Emma and Henry getting here?"

"About an hour or so," he answered as he watched Lily sit at the table, "Anything special you want to do today?" Lily just shrugged and focused on finishing her breakfast. Mary Margaret and David exchanged glances.

"What's wrong, Lil?" Mary Margaret went to sit next to her daughter, "Do you feel sick?"

"No, I'm fine," Lily rolled her eyes as her mother touched her forehead with the back of her hand.

"Well, what is it then? I thought the moodiness wasn't going to happen until you were a teenager," David went to sit across from his wife and daughter as Lily smirked at her father's comment.

"I don't know. I just guess what I really want to do today is not to make today anything special," Lily answered with another shrug.

"But it's your birthday, Lil. You only turn twelve once." Mary Margaret said.

"So? I have birthday's every year. It's no big deal," Lily stood up and put her dish in the sink, "I guess I'll go get ready for Emma and Henry to get here." Lily walked past her parents. Mary Margaret and David watched their daughter as she disappeared up the stairs before they turned to each other. The two sat in silence for a few moments, until Mary Margaret pushed back her chair and announced, "I'm going to go talk to her."

* * *

Mary Margaret took a deep breath before she knocked softly on her daughter's door.

"Lily?" Mary Margaret waited for an answer, but she wasn't surprised when she didn't get one.

"Lily, it's me," she knocked again. After waiting for a few more moments, Mary Margaret opened the door to her daughter's room. She found her sitting on the edge of her bed with Henry's storybook open on her lap. As Mary Margaret walked over to the bed, she noticed that Lily was looking at an illustration of Snow White as a young girl.

"You know, I wasn't too much younger than you in that picture," Mary Margaret commented as she sat down next to Lily. Lily only nodded she turned to a page with no illustrations. Mary Margaret studied her daughter for a few moments before she sighed.

"What's wrong, Lil?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Nothing," Lily answered without taking her eyes off of her book.

"Lily," Mary Margaret said sternly, "We both know you're lying. What's wrong?" Lily looked up at her mother.

"I don't want you to worry about it," she said quietly before turning her eyes back down to her storybook.

"I'm already worried," Mary Margaret informed her, "Please talk to me." Lily sighed as she traced the words on the page with her fingers.

"I don't think it's fair that I get a special day," Lily said even quieter than before.

"What do you mean?" Mary Margaret asked. Lily turned back to the illustration of Snow White.

"Your birthday marks your mother's death," Lily explained as she turned later in the book to a picture of her father holding her newborn sister, "Emma's birthday is a reminder that you had to send her away to protect her from the curse." Lily shut the book and held it close to her before she mumbled, "It's not fair."

"What's not fair?"

"That I get happiness while you have heartache," Lily said simply. Mary Margaret was still for a few moments before she put her arm around Lily and kissed her cheek.

"Oh, Lily," she pulled her daughter towards her, "I understand why you don't want to do anything special today, but it doesn't mean you can't be happy." Lily didn't say anything and Mary Margaret smiled, "Do you know what your birthday marks for me?" Lily shook her head and held her book tighter.

"Well," Mary Margaret began, "it was one of the happiest days of my life. I love your sister very much, but I missed so much with her. You were such a blessing to me and your father because we could finally have the family that we always wanted to have. You were our beautiful second chance." Lily wiped a few tears from her eyes before she wrapped her arms around her mother.

"So, what are we going to day today?" Mary Margaret ran her fingers through her Lily's hair.

"I guess I'll think about it," Lily looked up and smiled. Mary Margaret smiled back.

"Happy birthday, Lil."

* * *

_Long update today. Stay tuned for the next one._


	6. Storybook

"_Open it, Lily!" Henry's excited voice filled the apartment. Eight year-old Lily looked at the rectangular package in front of her and her family watched as she began to peel off the flimsy wrapping paper. Inside was a heavy, brown leather book with gold lettering and trim._

"_Once upon a time?" Lily read the title and looked up at Henry._

"_Your mom gave me that book a long time ago," Henry smiled, "It taught me how to believe. I know you've heard most of these stories before, but I figured you were old enough now to read them on your own." Henry looked over at his mother, who smiled at him. Lily flipped through the pages of the book. _

"_Mom, look!" Lily's eyes went wide as she pointed to an illustration on the page, "It's you! Except your hair is really long. And here's one of Dad, too!" Mary Margaret and David smiled at their daughter's excitement over her gift. Lily stood up and walked over to Henry._

"_Thank you, Henry," she wrapped her arms around him, "This is the best present ever." _

"_I'm glad you like it," Henry smiled hugged her back, "Happy birthday, Lily."_

* * *

Emma and Henry were waiting in the living room by the time Mary Margaret and Lily finally came downstairs.

"About time you came down," Emma smiled at her sister, "Happy birthday, kiddo!"

"Thanks," Lily smiled shyly and hugged Emma. Emma moved over to the kitchen to talk to her parents while Henry made his way over to Lily.

"I see you still have that," Henry motioned to the storybook that Lily was still holding close to her.

"Of course," Lily looked down at it, "It's the best gift I've ever received."

"You still believing?" Henry raised an eyebrow at her.

"Yes," Lily smiled.

"Good," Henry reached over and ruffled Lily's hair, "Happy birthday, princess!" Henry laughed as Lily rolled her eyes at him.

"Well," David said from his place behind the kitchen island, "Before we start anything, I want to give Lily something that I pulled out of storage a couple of days ago." David reached behind the counter and presented two wooden practice swords.

"Those look familiar," Henry winked at his grandfather.

"You're going to teach me how to use a sword?" Lily asked excitedly, "What happened to waiting until I was thirty?"

"I guess I changed my mind," David laughed, "Do you think you're ready?" Lily nodded as she placed her book on the table.

"Well, come on then. We can get a quick lesson in before lunch," David tossed one sword to Lily, who caught it and bolted towards the front door with her father close behind.

"Be careful, you two," Mary Margaret called out to them, "I expect you both to come back in one piece!"

"We will," David and Lily said in unison as the door the apartment closed behind them.

* * *

_So, there's that. Review what you guys would like to read next!_


	7. A Lesson

_Sorry it took me so long to get this up. I've been too busy to write. Let me know what you want to read next!_

* * *

"Just keep trying, Lily."

Lily sighed as she pushed her hair back out of her face. She stood in the ready position her father taught her and she waited for his attack. It wasn't long until Lily lost her balance and found herself back on the ground. David looked down at his daughter and smiled.

"That one was better," he complimented her, "Just remember to keep both feet on the ground, and you won't fall like that." David held out his hand to Lily, but she ignored it.

"I don't want to practice anymore," Lily placed her wooden practice sword on the ground next her and crossed her arms.

"C'mon, Lily. One more time. You almost have it!"

"You said that last week," Lily mumbled into the grass, "If I was so close to having it, I would be able to do it by now."

"Lily," David sighed.

"I'm no expert," a voice came from the distance, "but I would say that sword fighting while sitting down might not be the best idea." Lily looked up enough to watch Henry walk across the grass toward her.

"It doesn't matter," Lily looked back down, "I'd wouldn't do much better if I was standing up anyways." Henry shared a concerned look with his grandfather before he sighed and sat down next to Lily.

"Alright, kiddo. What's got you down?" Henry asked.

"I can't do it," Lily was exasperated, "No matter how hard I try, I can't figure out what move Dad's going to make next."

"Well, that's hardly an excuse. Some of the best sword fighters can't even do that," Henry told Lily, "But they do the best they can because they practice. No one just wakes up doing something perfectly." Lily listened to Henry, but she still kept her arms crossed and her head down. Henry looked up smirked at his grandfather, who shrugged.

"Do you want to hear a tip?" Henry asked Lily, who looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. Henry leaned closer to her and said quietly so David couldn't hear, "Try to watch your Dad's eyes. He usually gives himself away by looking at where he's about to swing. That way you'll know where to move to block it."

"That works?"

"That's how I learned," Henry picked up Lily's discarded sword and handed it to her before he stood up, "Give it a try." Lily took a deep breath before she let Henry help her to her feet.

"Ready?" David faced Lily. Lily nodded and got into her ready position. She focused on her father's eyes and found that Henry's tip worked. Lily blocked his every move, and even managed to knock the sword out of his hand.

"I did it!" Lily jumped up and down excitedly.

"Well, your mood changed," David laughed as he bent to pick up the sword.

"Did you see that, Henry?" Lily turned to him.

"I sure did," Henry smiled, "Think I could give it a try now?"

"I guess. If you think you're up for it," Lily smirked.

"Bring it on, kiddo."


	8. Love

Lily was leaning against the wall behind her bed, her storybook propped open up on her knees. She traced the illustration of young Snow White with her finger and read a couple of the sentences on the next page. After a few minutes of staring at the picture, Lily sighed and closed the book. She placed it on the bed next to her and she slowly and carefully stood up and walked to her bedroom door.

As Lily headed down the stairs, she looked over at her mother, who was busy washing the dishes. Lily took a deep breath before she went down the remaining stairs and made her way over to the kitchen island.

"Mom," Lily eased herself into the stool across from the sink, "Can I talk to you about something?"

"Of course, but only if you promise to work while we talk," Mary Margaret smiled at her daughter and handed her a wash rag to use for the counter before she went back to the dishes, "What's on your mind?" Lily was silent for a few more moments as she slowly scrubbed the countertop in front of her.

"Do you think Grandma would have liked me?" Lily said quietly. Mary Margaret stopped rinsing the plate she was holding and looked up at Lily.

"What brought this on?" Mary Margaret turned off the faucet and dried her hands.

"Just curious," Lily shrugged, "I was just reading about her in my book."

"Well, I know without a doubt that your grandmother would have adored you," Mary Margaret smiled at Lily before she turned around to put the now dry plates in the cupboard.

"What was she like?" Lily straightened up in her chair.

"Well, what does the book say?" Mary Margaret asked over her shoulder.

"The book doesn't know her like you did. It says that she was kind and gentle, but not much else," Lily looked down again, "It mostly just talks about what happened." Mary Margaret turned back around and studied the sad look on her daughter's face. She smiled before she went around the island and sat next to Lily.

"Well, there definitely is much more than just that," Mary Margaret took the cloth away from Lily and dropped it into the sink, "Your grandmother had one of the most beautiful souls that I have ever encountered in a person. She always saw the good in people, no matter what, and she always was very quick to forgive others. She was also an incredible leader. She was the kind of leader that you could go to if you were in trouble, but you also respected her judgment. Her leadership was my role model when your father and I took over our kingdom."

"She sounds amazing," Lily smiled. Mary Margaret nodded and smiled at the memories that had just appeared in her head.

"She was gone too soon," Mary Margaret continued, "but I know that she is and always will be so proud of our family, no matter what." Lily's smiled faded and she looked down at her hands.

"What's wrong?" Mary Margaret noticed.

"I'm just so sorry you lost her," Lily almost whispered, "Especially in the way that you did." Mary Margaret's only reaction was to look down at her own hands and fight back her tears.

"Why was Cora so evil, Mom?" Lily asked. Mary Margaret looked over at Lily and sighed, "I don't really know, Lil. I don't blame her though. No one is just born evil. Something makes them that way." Lily looked up again.

"Can you promise me something?" she asked.

"What's that?"

"Promise me that you'll love me and Emma just as much as Grandma loved you, no matter what happens."

Mary Margaret only smiled and put her hand on her daughter's.

"Oh, Lily," she began, "I already made that promise to the both of you long ago."


	9. Tell Me

_Just another Emma and Lily moment. Enjoy._

* * *

"_Emma, do you remember what the Enchanted Forest was like?" Emma looked down at her six year-old sister, who was holding on to Emma's hand as she jumped over the cracks in the sidewalk. Emma had volunteered to take Lily to the bus stop that day, like she done with Henry when he was younger. _

"_I do a little bit, I guess. I was mostly focused on trying to get home while Mom and I there," Emma answered, "Why do you ask?"_

"_Just curious," Lily shrugged and they were quiet for a few more moments before Lily asked, "What was it like?"_

"_Well," Emma racked her brain for an answer, "I don't really know if I'm the best person to ask about this. There weren't that many people there since most of them were here, and the people that were there were recovering from the curse."_

"_Oh," Emma watched as Lily's face fell slightly. Emma thought some more about something more interesting and less disappointing that she could tell her little sister, and a small smiled formed on her lips._

"_I got to see our castle," Emma said._

"_Really," Lily's eyes went wide, "Why did you go there?"_

"_We were trying to find the wardrobe that brought me here in the first place," Emma laughed at Lily's excitement, "We were going to see if it would be able to bring us back to Storybrooke." Emma went silent as she thought about their plan that had failed._

"_Was it magnificent?" Lily asked as she jumped over another crack._

"_It was," Emma smiled, "And I got to see my nursery. It probably would've been yours, too if the curse hadn't happened." The sisters reached the bus stop, but Lily still held on to Emma's hand._

"_Do you ever wish we would've grown up there?" Lily looked up at Emma. Emma sighed._

"_Sometimes, I guess," Emma answered, "It would have been nice to have known Mom and Dad before I was twenty-eight years old. But I also like how things worked out here. You know, with Henry and all. Also, it's much less dangerous here than it is in the Enchanted Forest."_

"_What's dangerous there?" Lily asked._

"_Well, for starters, there's the ogres-"_

"_Ogres?" Lily interrupted, her eyes going wide again, "You saw an ogre there?"_

"_Saw one?" Emma smiled, "I fought one." The bus turned the corner and drove towards the sisters._

"_You fought an ogre?" Lily said, "What happened?" _

"_You have to go to school, Lil," Emma motioned to the bus that had just stopped in front of them, "But I'll tell you that story as soon as you get back." _

"_Promise?"_

"_I promise."_

_Lily and Emma linked fingers and Emma watched as Lily ran up the school bus steps. The door slid closed behind her and continued down the street towards the school._


	10. Dream

_I'm very sorry about how long it took me to update. I had to spend the past couple of weeks finishing up the semester and I didn't have time to write. I'll have some more time now that I'm on my summer break. Also, thanks for the reviews and feedback. I really appreciate it! Sorry again and let me know what you want to read next! Thanks!_

* * *

"_Are you sure about this?" Mary Margaret asked for the hundredth time that evening. _

"_Yes, I'm sure," David chuckled._

"_You promise? I won't go if you don't want me to-"_

"_I do," David placed his hands on his wife's shoulders and looked into her eyes, "You deserve to spend a night away from the house. Just you, Emma, and no distractions." Mary Margaret sighed. She knew David was right._

"_Are you sure you'll be okay with Lily?"_

"_Lily will be fine. She's already tucked away in bed," David reminded his wife as he kissed her forehead, "Go. We'll be alright." Mary Margaret smiled gratefully up at her husband before she slowly gathered her jacket and purse from the counter._

"_I'll be back before midnight," Mary Margaret headed for the front door with David close behind._

"_Okay," David answered simply._

"_Oh, and I'll have my phone on me. Call if you need anything."_

"_Will do."_

"_And I left a list of emergency contacts on the fridge in case I don't answer. I have Granny's number, Emma's, Henry's-"_

"_Mary Margaret," David interrupted with another laugh, "Go. Emma's waiting for you." Mary Margaret smiled as she pulled her husband in for a quick kiss, "I love you."_

"_I love you, too." _

_With that, Mary Margaret opened the door, giving one more glance back at her husband before she latched it behind her. David let out a deep sigh, relieved that his wife was taking some time for herself._

* * *

"_Mommy!" The scream woke David up with a jolt. Without hesitation, David ran out of his bedroom and up the stairs. He opened the door to his six year-old daughter's room and found Lily sitting up in bed, her knees pulled up to her chest and tears rolling down her flushed cheeks. _

"_Where's Mommy?" Lily sniffed. _

"_She's out spending time with your sister. She'll be home soon," David explained as he moved to sit on Lily's bed, "What's wrong, Lil?" His daughter sniffed a few more times before answering._

"_I had a bad dream," David could tell by Lily's voice that the tears were threatening to return, "I'm scared, Daddy. I don't want to go back to sleep." _

"_Wait right here," David stood up, "I'll be right back." David rushed out of the room and returned a few moments later with a candle and a box of matches._

"_What's that for?" Lily watched as her father placed the candle on her nightstand._

"_I'm going to light this and leave it by your bed tonight," David explained as he struck one of the matches and lit the candle wick, "It'll keep your nightmares away." David blew out the match and Lily watched the flame dance on top of the candle. David placed the match box on the table next to the candle before inviting his daughter to sit in his lap, which she easily obliged to. _

"_Tell me what happened in the dream, Lily," David said soothingly. _

"_There was something chasing me," Lily began, her tears already beginning again, "It was dark and I couldn't see what it was, but it was chasing me. And then I tripped and fell, but I couldn't get back up, and….and…" Lily was crying in earnest now and David rocked her gently._

"_It's all going to be okay, Lily. Daddy's here. Nothing's going to hurt you." David watched as his daughter's tears started to stop and her eyes began to flutter closed. David leaned down and kissed Lily's forehead._

"_Daddy loves you, baby."_


	11. Sugar and Spice and Cinnamon

_Just a little Mother's Day fluff! Thank you to everyone reading and following the story. Let me know what you want to read next!_

* * *

"Hey, Mom!" Mary Margaret looked up from the stack of projects she was grading to see both of her daughters walking into her classroom. Lily chose a desk in the front row as Emma placed a to-go cup of hot chocolate and a blueberry muffin in a small paper bag on Mary Margaret's desk.

"What's the occasion?" Mary Margaret smiled as she inhaled the scent of cinnamon from the steaming mug. Emma smiled back and looked down at her sister, who shrugged.

"Tuesday?" Lily offered. Mary Margaret raised an eyebrow at her daughters.

"What?" Emma smirked as she leaned against the desk that Lily was sitting in, "Do two girls have to have a reason to do something nice for their mother? Why can't it just come from the good in their hearts?"

"Yeah," Lily stifled a giggle as she put on a fake pout, "I'm kind of offended." Mary Margaret laughed at her younger daughter's expression.

"I'm sorry, girls. It was just a nice, unexpected surprise," Mary Margaret pushed her stack of ungraded assignments off to the side before she leaned back in her chair.

"We figured you could use a little bit of a distraction," Emma shrugged.

"You figured right," Mary Margaret smiled sheepishly, "I've gone through four red ink pens trying to finish all of my grading."

"Maybe you should switch colors," Lily teased. Mary Margaret laughed at Lily's comment as Emma reached back and ruffled her sister's hair.

"I guess we should leave you to it then," Emma stood up and motioned back to Lily, "I'm taking this one home before I need to get back to the station."

"Of course," Mary Margaret stood up herself and walked to the other side of her desk. She moved to hug Emma, "Thank you both so much for the treats and the company."

"Anytime," Emma broke the hug and smiled at her mother. Lily stood up and wrapped her arms around Mary Margaret's waist, "Bye, Mom! See you at home!"

"Bye, Lil," Mary Margaret leaned down and kissed Lily on her forehead. She watched her daughters exit the classroom and latch the door closed behind them before she went back to her chair. Mary Margaret took a sip of her hot chocolate as she pulled the next project in front of her.

"Red pen number five," she muttered to herself as she uncapped the pen and continued her work.


End file.
